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== United States == |
== United States == |
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In the United States, since the 1980s, magazine capacity has been a subject of debate regarding civilian firearms.{{cn|date=April 2018}} Many [[Assault weapons legislation in the United States|assault weapon bans]] since then have included or been accompanied by large-capacity or [[high-capacity magazine ban]]s. Magazine capacity is also debated among military users, who have to balance the greater [[firepower]] of high-capacity magazines with their greater weight, size and reliability.{{cn|date=April 2018}} A majority of Americans support a ban on the sale and possession of high capacity magazines, according to some polls.<ref name=gallup20121227>{{cite news |date=December 27, 2012 |title=Americans Want Stricter Gun Laws, Still Oppose Bans |first=Lydia |last=Saad |url=http://news.gallup.com/poll/159569/americans-stricter-gun-laws-oppose-bans.aspx |accessdate=March 20, 2018 |agency=Gallup |quote=A significantly higher percentage of Americans -- 62% -- do favor banning the sale of high-capacity ammunition magazines, generally defined as those that contain more than 10 rounds.}}</ref><ref name=pew2017>{{cite news |agency=Pew Research Center |date=June 22, 2017 |title=America’s Complex Relationship With Guns |first1=Kim |last1=Parker |first2=Juliana |last2=Menasce Horowitz |first3=Ruth |last3=Igielnik |first4=Baxter |last4=Oliphant |first5=Anna |last5=Brown |url=http://www.pewsocialtrends.org/2017/06/22/americas-complex-relationship-with-guns/ |accessdate=March 24, 2018}}</ref><ref name=cnn20180225>{{cite news |agency=CNN |title=CNN Poll: Seven in 10 favor tighter gun laws in wake of Parkland shooting |first=Jennifer |last=Agiesta |date=February 25, 2018 |accessdate=March 19, 2018 |url=https://www.cnn.com/2018/02/25/politics/cnn-poll-gun-control-support-climbs/index.html |quote=There is widespread support for several specific changes to gun laws...63% who support a ban on the sale and possession of high-capacity or extended ammunition magazines (up from 54% in October, a new high in CNN polling)}}</ref><ref name=npr20180302>{{cite news |title=NPR Poll: After Parkland, Number of Americans Who Want Gun Restrictions Grows |date=March 2, 2018 |first=Asma |last=Khalid |url=https://www.npr.org/2018/03/02/589849342/npr-poll-after-parkland-number-of-americans-who-want-gun-restrictions-grows |accessdate=March 19, 2018 |agency=NPR |work=Morning Edition |quote=The poll also found widespread bipartisan support for a range of gun-control policies, including...banning high-capacity ammunition magazines that hold more than 10 rounds (73 percent)}}</ref> |
In the United States, since the 1980s, magazine capacity has been a subject of debate regarding civilian firearms.{{cn|date=April 2018}} Many [[Assault weapons legislation in the United States|assault weapon bans]] since then have included or been accompanied by large-capacity or [[high-capacity magazine ban]]s. Magazine capacity is also debated among military users, who have to balance the greater [[firepower]] of high-capacity magazines with their greater weight, size and reliability.{{cn|date=April 2018}} A majority of Americans support a ban on the sale and possession of high capacity magazines, according to some polls.<ref name=gallup20121227>{{cite news |date=December 27, 2012 |title=Americans Want Stricter Gun Laws, Still Oppose Bans |first=Lydia |last=Saad |url=http://news.gallup.com/poll/159569/americans-stricter-gun-laws-oppose-bans.aspx |accessdate=March 20, 2018 |agency=Gallup |quote=A significantly higher percentage of Americans -- 62% -- do favor banning the sale of high-capacity ammunition magazines, generally defined as those that contain more than 10 rounds.}}</ref><ref name=pew2017>{{cite news |agency=Pew Research Center |date=June 22, 2017 |title=America’s Complex Relationship With Guns |first1=Kim |last1=Parker |first2=Juliana |last2=Menasce Horowitz |first3=Ruth |last3=Igielnik |first4=Baxter |last4=Oliphant |first5=Anna |last5=Brown |url=http://www.pewsocialtrends.org/2017/06/22/americas-complex-relationship-with-guns/ |accessdate=March 24, 2018}}</ref><ref name=cnn20180225>{{cite news |agency=CNN |title=CNN Poll: Seven in 10 favor tighter gun laws in wake of Parkland shooting |first=Jennifer |last=Agiesta |date=February 25, 2018 |accessdate=March 19, 2018 |url=https://www.cnn.com/2018/02/25/politics/cnn-poll-gun-control-support-climbs/index.html |quote=There is widespread support for several specific changes to gun laws...63% who support a ban on the sale and possession of high-capacity or extended ammunition magazines (up from 54% in October, a new high in CNN polling)}}</ref><ref name=npr20180302>{{cite news |title=NPR Poll: After Parkland, Number of Americans Who Want Gun Restrictions Grows |date=March 2, 2018 |first=Asma |last=Khalid |url=https://www.npr.org/2018/03/02/589849342/npr-poll-after-parkland-number-of-americans-who-want-gun-restrictions-grows |accessdate=March 19, 2018 |agency=NPR |work=Morning Edition |quote=The poll also found widespread bipartisan support for a range of gun-control policies, including...banning high-capacity ammunition magazines that hold more than 10 rounds (73 percent)}}</ref> |
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==Use in mass shootings== |
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Half of mass shootings involve the use of high capacity magazines.<ref>https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2013/01/high-capacity-magazines-mass-shootings/</ref> Such magazines, defined by the act of Congress H.R. 4296 as "a magazine, belt, drum, feed strip, or similar device that has a capacity of, or that can be readily restored or converted to accept, more than 10 rounds of ammunition"<ref>https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/103/hr4296/text</ref> became lawful to own when the "Public Safety and Recreational Firearms Use Protection Act" expired on September 13th, 2004. This also lifted restrictions on cosmetic changes that made firearms appear to be militaria.<ref>http://lawcenter.giffords.org/gun-laws/federal-law/background-resources/key-federal-acts-regulating-firearms/</ref> Magazine capacity restrictons have proven problematic because any given firearm can function using any given compatible magazine, regardless of capacity.<ref>https://www.thetrace.org/2016/06/high-capacity-magazines-orlando-shooting/</ref> |
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The following describes a few instances in which high capacity magazines were used in mass killings- |
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In 2011, a [[2011 Tucson shooting|shooting in Tucson, Arizona]], was stopped when the gunman stopped firing in order to change magazines. The "high-capacity" magazine on his [[Glock]] pistol allowed him to fire 31 rounds before pausing. The [[Glock Ges.m.b.H.|Glock]] company website said that a standard magazine for its [[9×19mm Parabellum|9 mm]] semiautomatic pistol was between 13 and 17 rounds.<ref>{{cite news |last=McCombs |first=Brady |date=January 13, 2011 |title=Bill would ban gun magazines with more than 10 rounds |publisher=Arizona Daily Star |url=http://azstarnet.com/news/local/bill-would-ban-gun-magazines-with-more-than-rounds/article_9573ad04-1f67-11e0-b6e4-001cc4c002e0.html |quote=A standard magazine for a 9mm Glock semiautomatic pistol holds between 13 and 17 rounds, according to the Glock website.}}</ref> |
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In the [[2012 Aurora shooting]], a 100-round drum magazine used by the shooter jammed. According to one senior FBI agent, "If his firing mechanism had not seized, he could have wiped out the entire audience in a few minutes."<ref name="DailyExpress-M&P15">{{cite news | title = Rifle failure that stopped yet more batman carnage | url = http://www.express.co.uk/posts/view/334642/Rifle-failure-that-stopped-yet-more-Batman-carnage | accessdate =July 23, 2012 | newspaper = [[Daily Express]] | date = July 23, 2012}}</ref> Although they are capable of delivering a large number of rounds, drum magazines are known to be unreliable, and heavy enough to significantly reduce accuracy. <ref>{{cite news |last=Farago|first=Robert |date=July 29, 2012 |title=100-Round AR-15 Double Drum Magazines for Dummies |publisher=Truth About Guns |url=http://www.thetruthaboutguns.com/2012/07/robert-farago/100-round-ar-15-double-drum-magazines-for-dummies/ |quote=the 100-round drum magazine’s failure saved lives. [...] If a criminal wants a reliable way to deliver 100-rounds from a rifle, a double-drum magazine is the worst possible choice. Thank God Holmes chose it. }}</ref> |
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The debate regarding magazine capacity intensified in the U.S. after the 2012 [[Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting]] where an AR-15 style rifle with 30-round magazines were used by the shooter. In January 2013, President [[Barack Obama]] included a ban on gun magazines with capacities of more than 10 rounds in a list of gun-control laws he asked Congress to act on, but no legislation was successfully passed.<ref>{{cite news |last= |first= |date=January 16, 2013 |title=Obama announces 23 executive actions, asks Congress to pass gun laws |url=http://news.blogs.cnn.com/2013/01/16/obama-to-announce-gun-control-proposals-shortly/ |newspaper= |location= |publisher=CNN |accessdate=April 9, 2014 }}</ref> The Virginia state panel that examined the Virginia Tech shooting in 2007 found that "10-round magazines that were legal would have not made much difference in the incident. Even pistols with rapid loaders could have been about as deadly in this situation," <ref>https://governor.virginia.gov/media/3772/fullreport.pdf#page=87</ref>; but also stated "having the ammunition in large capacity magazines facilitated his killing spree."<ref>https://governor.virginia.gov/media/3772/fullreport.pdf#page=88</ref> |
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The gunman in the [[2013 Los Angeles International Airport shooting]] used a 30-round magazine for his [[AR-15 style rifle]], a [[Smith & Wesson M&P15]].<ref name="LAX shooting suspect reportedly told police he acted alone">{{cite news|url=http://www.foxnews.com/us/2013/11/04/lax-shooting-suspect-reportedly-told-police-acted-alone/ |title=LAX shooting suspect reportedly told police he acted alone |publisher=Foxnews.com |date=2013-11-04 |accessdate=2014-03-31}}</ref> That was one of 17 high-profile mass shootings which involved the use of "high-capacity" magazines that were cited by the [[Los Angeles City Council]] when it passed a ban on possession of such magazines in 2015.<ref>http://clkrep.lacity.org/onlinedocs/2013/13-0068_rpt_atty_06-26-14.pdf</ref> Other local incidents cited by supporters of the ban include the [[Los Angeles Jewish Community Center shooting]] and the [[2013 Santa Monica shooting|2013 Santa Monica College shooting]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.dailynews.com/social-affairs/20150728/los-angeles-council-passes-law-banning-possession-of-large-capacity-gun-magazines|title=Los Angeles council passes law banning possession of large-capacity gun magazines|publisher=}}</ref> [[Syed]] [[Rizwan Farook and Tashfeen Malik]] used 30-round magazines illegal in California during the [[2015 San Bernardino attack]]. Four such magazines were in their possession.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.scpr.org/news/2015/12/04/56040/san-bernardino-shooting-update-rifles-used-in-atta/|title=San Bernardino Shooting update: Rifles used in attack were modified to be illegal|author=Southern California Public Radio|work=Southern California Public Radio}}</ref> Following the attack, there were calls for banning possession of "high-capacity" magazines in California.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2015/12/san-bernardino-shooting-california-gun-laws/418701/|title=California Could Vote on Gun Control Just Months After San Bernardino Shooting - The Atlantic|author=Nora Kelly|work=The Atlantic}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.contracostatimes.com/breaking-news/ci_29204711/san-bernardino-shoots-reignites-californias-gun-debate|title=San Bernardino shooting stirs gun debate|date=5 December 2015|work=ContraCostaTimes.com}}</ref> |
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== Legal Status == |
== Legal Status == |
Revision as of 23:15, 23 May 2018
A high-capacity magazine (or large-capacity magazine) is a firearm magazine capable of holding more than the standard number of rounds provided by the designer, or legally, a particular number of cartridges dependent on jurisdiction and kind of firearm.[1][2]
For legal purposes, in some jurisdictions, magazines holding more than 10 rounds are considered "high-capacity." This can be problematic as the manufacturer's standard magazine capacity for most modern semi-automatic pistols is between 15 and 18 rounds and all modern sporting rifles come standard with magazines holding between 20 and 30 rounds. Firearms enthusiasts commonly call these magazines standard capacity magazines.
Typically, standard capacity magazines with more than ten rounds use staggered, box magazines for reliable loading. Magazines that hold more than standard capacity magazines often use longer magazines and some use a drum mechanism. The problem is that these larger than standard magazines often are unreliable and lack the mechanical design and R&D testing resources of a firearm manufacturer. With the larger number of cartridges, there is a higher chance that they will become misaligned before or during firing. As a result, these products are prone to jamming, rendering the firearm useless.
United States
In the United States, since the 1980s, magazine capacity has been a subject of debate regarding civilian firearms.[citation needed] Many assault weapon bans since then have included or been accompanied by large-capacity or high-capacity magazine bans. Magazine capacity is also debated among military users, who have to balance the greater firepower of high-capacity magazines with their greater weight, size and reliability.[citation needed] A majority of Americans support a ban on the sale and possession of high capacity magazines, according to some polls.[3][4][5][6]
Legal Status
As of 2017, eight U.S. states had laws banning high-capacity magazines.[7] California passed prop 63 in 2016, banning the possession of high capacity magazines holding over ten rounds, but on appeal, the federal courts stayed the new law as the state failed to show how this law didn't violate the second amendment or the property rights of owners of previously legal goods. More importantly, the court reviewed how "Banning magazines over ten rounds is no more likely to reduce criminal abuse of guns than banning high horsepower engines is likely to reduce criminal abuse of automobiles,"[8]. In fact, the court found that "The State’s preliminary theoretical and empirical evidence is inconclusive. In fact, it would be reasonable to infer, based on the State’s evidence, that a right to possess magazines that hold more than 10 rounds may promote self-defense – especially in the home ..."[9]
See also
- Magazine (firearms)
- Assault weapon
- Assault weapons legislation in the United States
- Gun politics in the United States
- High-capacity magazine ban
References
- ^ Rose, Veronica (January 24, 2013). "Laws onHigh Capacity Magazines". cga.ct.gov. Connecticut General Assembly. Retrieved April 9, 2014.
- ^ "Large Capacity Ammunition Magazines Policy Summary". smartgunlaws.org. Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence. May 31, 2013. Retrieved May 14, 2014.
- ^ Saad, Lydia (December 27, 2012). "Americans Want Stricter Gun Laws, Still Oppose Bans". Gallup. Retrieved March 20, 2018.
A significantly higher percentage of Americans -- 62% -- do favor banning the sale of high-capacity ammunition magazines, generally defined as those that contain more than 10 rounds.
- ^ Parker, Kim; Menasce Horowitz, Juliana; Igielnik, Ruth; Oliphant, Baxter; Brown, Anna (June 22, 2017). "America's Complex Relationship With Guns". Pew Research Center. Retrieved March 24, 2018.
- ^ Agiesta, Jennifer (February 25, 2018). "CNN Poll: Seven in 10 favor tighter gun laws in wake of Parkland shooting". CNN. Retrieved March 19, 2018.
There is widespread support for several specific changes to gun laws...63% who support a ban on the sale and possession of high-capacity or extended ammunition magazines (up from 54% in October, a new high in CNN polling)
- ^ Khalid, Asma (March 2, 2018). "NPR Poll: After Parkland, Number of Americans Who Want Gun Restrictions Grows". Morning Edition. NPR. Retrieved March 19, 2018.
The poll also found widespread bipartisan support for a range of gun-control policies, including...banning high-capacity ammunition magazines that hold more than 10 rounds (73 percent)
- ^ Here is 1 correlation between state gun laws and mass shootings, CNN
- ^ McGreevy, Patrick. "Federal judge blocks new California gun control law requiring disposal of large-capacity magazines". latimes.com. Retrieved 2018-03-07.
- ^ "Duncan-v.-Becerra_Order-Granting-Preliminary-Injunction.pdf" (PDF).
{{cite web}}
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Further reading
- Jonsson, Patrik (January 16, 2013). "Gun debate 101: Time to ban high-capacity magazines?". Christian Science Monitor. Christian Science Monitor. Retrieved May 14, 2014.
- Richman, Josh (March 12, 2014). "Sunnyvale gun law: Supreme Court justice refuses to stay ban on large-capacity magazines". San Jose Mercury News. San Jose, California. Retrieved May 14, 2014.
- Shermer, Michael (2013). "The Sandy Hook Effect". Skeptic. Retrieved April 24, 2014.